Cruise Critic member in Israel, happy to answer questions

[Ramizraja]

Hey Ruth,

 

We are docking in Port Haifa for the day and I was wondering whether we should go north or head down to Jerusalem? Which area would be worth seeing? We are only there for 1 day!

 

Thanks :-)

[museumlover]

After doing some more research and considering that we only have one day, we are leaning toward touring Caesarea and Haifa/Mt. Carmel. Since we arrive on a Saturday plus it's the day before Purim, how will all of this impact us?

[happy trailer]

Hey Ruth,

 

We are docking in Port Haifa for the day and I was wondering whether we should go north or head down to Jerusalem? Which area would be worth seeing? We are only there for 1 day!

 

Thanks :-)

 

Hi!

 

It all depends on what is most important for you to see.

 

While going to Jerusalem from Haifa will be a bit of a trip, it can be done, as other cruisers have pointed out on the other thread. It will be a long day, but very worthwhile and rewarding.

 

It's possible, though, to have a full, rich day of touring in the north. (The Galilee is a beautiful region, btw, so any touring up north will include wonderful scenery.):

 

- The Galilee is filled with important Christian sites, from the Sea of Galilee itself, to several lovely and nearby significant churches and towns. There is also a baptismal site, Yardenit, nearby.

 

- If you are interested in mysticism and also in visiting artist's galleries, then visit Safed, which is also in the Galilee.

 

- You can make arrangements for a food and wine tour of the Galilee and Golan areas.

 

- If you are interested in a very pretty natural experience, mixed in with a bit of modern history, head north to Rosh Hanikra, which is on the border with Lebanon. You'll take a cable car down to the grotto, where you can also see a brief film about the area. You'll also see the border- both the land and sea border- and also have a great view of the Israeli coastline, all the way to Haifa and beyond.

 

- If you are interested in the Roman era, then head to Caesarea; if the Crusaders interest you then Acco is a good choice.

 

Some of the above can also include a bit of touring in Haifa, including the Bahai Gardens.

 

Whatever you choose to do, I wouldn't suggest attempting to tour on your own- with only one day in Israel, the best way to make the most of your visit would either be by booking a ship excursion, or by making arrangements with a private guide.

 

HTH!

 

Ruth

[happy trailer]

After doing some more research and considering that we only have one day, we are leaning toward touring Caesarea and Haifa/Mt. Carmel. Since we arrive on a Saturday plus it's the day before Purim, how will all of this impact us?

 

Hi!

 

Your plans won't be affected by Purim at all (though the stores will be filled with costumes and hamentashen (a yummy, triangular shaped filled cookie) :)); and Saturday won't be much of an issue, either- Haifa is considered a secular town, so I believe many, if not most, stores and restaurants will be open. The archeological park in Caesarea will also be open, although I think that the guided tours in English may run on a different schedule than during the week.

 

BTW- the weather should be pleasant (mid to upper 60's at least), but it will be towards the end of our rainy season, so there is always a chance that you might get some rain.

 

HTH!

 

Ruth

[museumlover]

Ruth:

Thanks a bunch for the info. I was a little worried about Purim and Saturday impacting our touring.

We have budgeted $300 for our Israel day. So far we have located a wonderful guide but his price (which is in line with all other guides) is $450 for the car and his services for the day. With a quick lunch, entrance fees, and souvenirs the cost goes up to over $500. We are now looking for someone to join us in the car in order to drop the $500+ cost down to our $300 budget. We hope to find someone. Because we are on Costa, that may be difficult to find another English speaking couple. If worst comes to worst, how do you feel about renting a car and doing Caesarea/Haifa/Mt. Carmel by ourselves (we toured Caesarea back in 1999). I have driven in Los Angeles, etc. but only once overseas (England).

[happy trailer]

Ruth:

Thanks a bunch for the info. I was a little worried about Purim and Saturday impacting our touring.

We have budgeted $300 for our Israel day. So far we have located a wonderful guide but his price (which is in line with all other guides) is $450 for the car and his services for the day. With a quick lunch, entrance fees, and souvenirs the cost goes up to over $500. We are now looking for someone to join us in the car in order to drop the $500+ cost down to our $300 budget. We hope to find someone. Because we are on Costa, that may be difficult to find another English speaking couple. If worst comes to worst, how do you feel about renting a car and doing Caesarea/Haifa/Mt. Carmel by ourselves (we toured Caesarea back in 1999). I have driven in Los Angeles, etc. but only once overseas (England).

 

The very good news is that in Israel, we drive on the same side of the road as in the US :)

 

I think renting a car is not a bad idea- all road signs in Israel are in Hebrew, English, and Arabic, and most Israelis speak at least some English and will be happy to help with directions, if you need them (and, of course, if you get a GPS unit in your rental car, getting around will be even easier). To get to Caesarea from Haifa, you just follow the coastal road (Highway 2).

 

On another thread, Moti wrote, "The car rental offices in Haifa are in the Check Post Industrial Area that means they'll have to go all the way to there to pick a car."

 

I don't think that will be a problem because you can take a cab to the rental offices. However, even though Haifa is a secular city, you should make sure you'll be able to rent a car on Saturday- and check to see how late you can return it, because even if the car rental agency is open on Saturday they may open late and close very early (possibly early in the afternoon).

 

[bTW, there is more to Caesarea than just the archeological park! There's an artist colony, some terrific restaurants, and a nice beach at the Roman aquaduct. I found a great web site filled with information on what there is to do, but because it is run by a private corporation I can't list it here, but you can easily find it and other informative sites by doing a google search for 'tourism and caesarea'.]

 

HTH!

 

Ruth

[bluehorizonlover123]

here are a few pixs of Rosh Hanikra

Edited January 10, 2010 by bluehorizonlover123

[bluehorizonlover123]

another rosh hanikra

[bluehorizonlover123]

Ceasarea and military at Rosh Hanikra border crossing

[happy trailer]

bluehorizonlover123,

 

It's good to see that you enjoyed your visit to Israel :D

 

May I suggest that you either post all your pics in one posting, or else give us a link to a site that has your pics? I'm sure your photos are lovely, and it's nice that you want to share them, but most CC'ers find it easier to share and view photos if they are all in one post, or even better on a web page, or on a photo sharing site. (An added benefit of having them on a web page or photo sharing site is that it makes it easier for you to share them with friends and family, and you also have an easily accessible storage area for your photos.)

[bluehorizonlover123]

Happy Trailer - all great ideas but I don't have that available here. I was trying to get all the pixs to load to one post and had some technical difficulties. Sorry it bothered you so much that I had to post in a number of posts!!!

[happy trailer]

Happy Trailer - all great ideas but I don't have that available here. I was trying to get all the pixs to load to one post and had some technical difficulties. Sorry it bothered you so much that I had to post in a number of posts!!!

 

There are plenty of free photo sharing sites available to anyone, anywhere in the world- that's how travelers share their photos from where ever they are!

 

Some of the most popular are: Picasa, Flickr, and Photoshop, but the list goes on and on. You can even use Facebook to share and store pictures. They are all a cinch to use, with clear and easy to follow directions (in English), and you can upload photos from anywhere (and add captions and comments to your photos), often even from a public computer. You can add a '.com' to any of the above and get started within moments, or do a google search for 'free photo sharing sites' and get a list with even more to choose from.

 

Once you set up an account and start uploading and sharing your photos, you'll wonder how you managed without one before!

 

[if you are feeling just a bit more ambitious, setting up a free web page or a blog is also very easy to do, with several popular choices available. A google search for 'free web pages,' or 'free blogs' will also bring up plenty to choose from.]

 

HTH, and enjoy!

 

Ruth

Edited January 11, 2010 by happy trailer

[museumlover]

I just found out that it will be impossible to rent a car on a Saturday in Haifa (why in the world does Costa schedule Israel on a Saturday???). So, it's either blow up our budget (we had budgeted $300 for Israel touring and a private tour is around $500) ...take money from one of the other 6 ports ...or walk around in Haifa and then get back on the boat. We were hoping to find someone to join us and keep our budget in line but that may not be possible. We have a great guide lined up, we just need one more person. Oh well, we will keep on working and hoping for that one person. Thanks for all the great info and tips. Cruise Critic folks are the best!

[cruisemom42]

I just found out that it will be impossible to rent a car on a Saturday in Haifa (why in the world does Costa schedule Israel on a Saturday???). So, it's either blow up our budget (we had budgeted $300 for Israel touring and a private tour is around $500) ...take money from one of the other 6 ports ...or walk around in Haifa and then get back on the boat. We were hoping to find someone to join us and keep our budget in line but that may not be possible. We have a great guide lined up, we just need one more person. Oh well, we will keep on working and hoping for that one person. Thanks for all the great info and tips. Cruise Critic folks are the best!

 

What are your other ports and what are you planning? I'm pretty good at DIY in most places; maybe I can share ideas...:)

[happy trailer]

I just found out that it will be impossible to rent a car on a Saturday in Haifa (why in the world does Costa schedule Israel on a Saturday???). So, it's either blow up our budget (we had budgeted $300 for Israel touring and a private tour is around $500) ...take money from one of the other 6 ports ...or walk around in Haifa and then get back on the boat. We were hoping to find someone to join us and keep our budget in line but that may not be possible. We have a great guide lined up, we just need one more person. Oh well, we will keep on working and hoping for that one person. Thanks for all the great info and tips. Cruise Critic folks are the best!

 

That's so frustrating!

 

But- if it turns out that you need to stay in Haifa for the day, you can still have a full and enjoyable day!

 

The Haifa Tourism Board has a good web site, with suggestions of what to see in the city. They also have suggested touring routes, including some self guided walking tours, and I'm pretty sure the city runs at least one walking tour (in English) on Saturdays. You'll be able to catch a cab, and in Haifa some buses run on Saturday.

 

(Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure the cable car does not run on Saturday, but you'll still be able to get to the scenic overlooks in the city.)

 

I'm hoping that Moti will enter this discussion, as in his profile has his location as Haifa, so he should have great suggestions on what to do in Haifa on a Saturday.

 

You might even consider asking your guide how much he would charge for a tour of Haifa. While you can do Haifa on your own, if his price for some local touring is reasonable, that might be something to consider (maybe he could include some spots outside the city as well, or you could hire him for a half day tour outside the city, and then spend the rest of the day exploring Haifa on your own).

 

And, with Cynthia's (cruisermom42) help, maybe you will find that you can shift a bit of your budget from another port or two to your Israel budget, and then be able to enjoy a full day of guided touring in Israel.

 

Don't despair! With all of us putting our heads together, you're sure to have a terrific day in Israel (so good, that of course, you're going to want to come back for another visit :D).

[hobein]

Hi Ruth,

thanks for all your wonderful input to the forum. I have read through the posts and planned the following for touring northern Israel from Haifa:

Haifa, especially the Bahai gardens

Galilee

Golan Heights

Rosh Hanikra

Nazareth and/or Acre.

 

We are in port from 7am until 10pm. This is my first time in Israel, I don't know how much travel time to calculate between sites. Do I have too much for the one day?

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,

thanks for all your wonderful input to the forum. I have read through the posts and planned the following for touring northern Israel from Haifa:

Haifa, especially the Bahai gardens

Galilee

Golan Heights

Rosh Hanikra

Nazareth and/or Acre.

 

We are in port from 7am until 10pm. This is my first time in Israel, I don't know how much travel time to calculate between sites. Do I have too much for the one day?

 

Well, theoretically you could fit all those in during one day of touring, but a lot of it would be only getting a quick look out the car window as you drove by.

 

My suggestion would be to do either:

 

The Galilee and the Golan Heights

 

or

 

Rosh Hanikra and Acre

 

If you really want to see Nazareth, you should include it with a tour of the Galilee- but you wouldn't have time for the Golan Heights.

 

You might be able to fit in some touring in Haifa with the visits to Rosh Hanikra and Acre, but it would be a bit of a squeeze.

 

HTH- and keep asking :)

 

Ruth

Edited January 12, 2010 by happy trailer

[zelker]

Hi, Ruth.

 

I just discovered (very joyfully) that we have the option of physically planting trees in two forests while there! :D Both are open from 8-4. What I'm trying to determine is which one I can do without disrupting touring. It appears that we could get off the ship really early on our last morning (we're docked there the night before and don't sail until noon) and go to the one at Golani Junction, be there when it opens at 8, and easily be back at the ship by 1100. I'm not sure the one at Yad Kennedy will work timewise for us since we'll be coming from the Dead Sea on the first afternoon and I think it will be too late by the time we get towards Jerusalem (after 4 pm).

 

So assuming we do the northern one, what would be the fastest and easiest way to get there and back (it says it's only 35 miles between Haifa and Tiberius so I'm assuming this is doable?)?

 

I am SO excited at the prospect of being able to physically plant trees in my parents' memory.

 

Barb

[happy trailer]

Hi, Ruth.

 

I just discovered (very joyfully) that we have the option of physically planting trees in two forests while there! :D Both are open from 8-4. What I'm trying to determine is which one I can do without disrupting touring. It appears that we could get off the ship really early on our last morning (we're docked there the night before and don't sail until noon) and go to the one at Golani Junction, be there when it opens at 8, and easily be back at the ship by 1100. I'm not sure the one at Yad Kennedy will work timewise for us since we'll be coming from the Dead Sea on the first afternoon and I think it will be too late by the time we get towards Jerusalem (after 4 pm).

 

So assuming we do the northern one, what would be the fastest and easiest way to get there and back (it says it's only 35 miles between Haifa and Tiberius so I'm assuming this is doable?)?

 

I am SO excited at the prospect of being able to physically plant trees in my parents' memory.

 

Barb

 

That is exciting news, Barb!

 

I agree that the forest at Yad Kennedy won't easily fit into your plans, especially as you'll have to deal with the traffic around Jerusalem.

 

The good news is that the Golani junction is only about 1/2 hour from the outskirts of Haifa, so you could easily be back at the ship by 11. Travel is all on major roads, so if you rent a car the driving should be easy, but be aware that there is often road work in the area that can cause delays (but you will still be able to return to the ship by 11). I don't know about getting there by public transportation; hopefully Moti will check in soon and will have a suggestion.

 

HTH!

 

Ruth

[zelker]

That is exciting news, Barb!

 

I agree that the forest at Yad Kennedy won't easily fit into your plans, especially as you'll have to deal with the traffic around Jerusalem.

 

The good news is that the Golani junction is only about 1/2 hour from the outskirts of Haifa, so you could easily be back at the ship by 11. Travel is all on major roads, so if you rent a car the driving should be easy, but be aware that there is often road work in the area that can cause delays (but you will still be able to return to the ship by 11). I don't know about getting there by public transportation; hopefully Moti will check in soon and will have a suggestion.

 

HTH!

 

Ruth

 

I haven't looked yet but will be surprised if we can get a rental car that early (700-730) so may be relegated to hiring someone to take us. When checking car rental companies, what part of Haifa would be the closest to the port area?

 

I'm glad to know that you think it's doable so I'm sure we'll get it worked out.

[happy trailer]

I haven't looked yet but will be surprised if we can get a rental car that early (700-730) so may be relegated to hiring someone to take us. When checking car rental companies, what part of Haifa would be the closest to the port area?

 

I'm glad to know that you think it's doable so I'm sure we'll get it worked out.

 

I live in the Jerusalem area, so I'm not really familiar with Haifa things, but on another thread Moti (who is listed as being from Haifa) wrote:

 

'The car rental offices in Haifa are in the Check Post Idustrial Area that means they'll have to go all the way to there to pick a car. The ofifices open at 08:00 and close at 19:00'

 

If that's the case, then I guess it looks like you'll either need to hire someone to take you, or seeing if you can arrange your Dead Sea area plans in order to fit in the Yad Kennedy forest.

 

Mmmmm.... not to make light, but you could always come to my home and plant a tree in my yard- hand painted certificate and regular photo updates happily provided. [sorry, I couldn't resist :D]

[zelker]

Mmmmm.... not to make light, but you could always come to my home and plant a tree in my yard- hand painted certificate and regular photo updates happily provided. [sorry, I couldn't resist :D]

 

 

LOL!! You are too funny.

 

I did some checking as well and couldn't find a car before 800 either so I'll have to look for a driver to take us which is ok - that way I know we'll have plenty of time.

 

PS - what time is dinner? :rolleyes:

[happy trailer]

LOL!! You are too funny.

 

PS - what time is dinner? :rolleyes:

 

Pizza and Chinese deliver, so anytime is fine :D

Edited January 13, 2010 by happy trailer

[museumlover]

Thanks to everyone for your great advice. These postings are wonderful. A special thank you to Ruth for her great insight into Israel and for Cynthia's willingness to help! You gals are the greatest! At this time we are DIY for the following ports: Savona (taking a train to Genoa), Olympia (renting a car wiht another couple to Olympia), Rhodes (just walking around in the old city), Cyprus (renting a taxi service with another couple), Athens (taking the metro/train to the city), and then paying for a private guided tour in Israel and Egypt. If we need any more info we will post again. Thanks!

[Tilly43]

Hello Ruth

 

I have been fascinated by the wonderful information you have given other cruisers on topics related to Israel.

My partner and I are cruising into Ashdod on 5 February and have arranged a semi private tour of Jerusalem and Bethlehem - looking forward to it very much indeed :)

Two questions I wondered if you could help with:

First - what are the likely temperatures in Jerusalem at this time of the year?

Second - my partner is a smoker (he uses hand rolling tobacco to roll his own cigarettes - usually a brand called Old Holburn). When we cruise he usually tries to buy tobacco at whatever port is likely to be least expensive. Would you know what the price of hand rolling tobacco is likely to be in Jerusalem? Also is there likely to be a duty free shop in which he would be able to buy the tobacco?

I know the second question isnt directly connected to cruising but I would be grateful if you could help with the information, if you have it.

Many thanks

Susan (and Chris)